Paint brush with adjustable brush angles



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I PAINT BRUSH WITH ADJUSTABLE BRUSH ANGLES Filed Feb. 21, 1967 FIG. I FIG.5 FIG. 2

INVENTOR BILL e. BLOUNT ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,362,038 PAINT BRUSH WITH ADJUSTABLE BRUSH ANGLES Bill G. Elount, 1417 Oak Lea Drive, Irving, Tex. 75060 Filed Feb. 21, 1967, Ser. No. 617,550 3 Claims. (Cl. 15-172) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A paint brush comprising a handle having a fixed channel jaw and a pivoted jaw secured to the fixed jaw under the force of a thumbscrew, where the fixed jaw has at least one tab for controlling the position of a set of detachable bristles when gripped between the jaws in at least two angles relative to the plane of the handle.

This invention relates to paint brushes and more particularly to paint brush handles in combination with disposable brushes.

Paint brushes With disposable and replaceable bristles enable a user to reduce painting costs by disposing of the low-cost bristles instead of having to use solvents to clean them and oils to preserve them. Costs are reduced by eliminating the relatively expensive paint brush cleaning and preservative materials. By not having to have such materials at hand, there is achieved an increase in occupational safety by minimizing the necessity for additional flammable materials. Importantly, the use of such brushes saves time, particularly at the close of the working day. Because cleaning a brush is not necessary, more time is used for painting, and accordingly, greater workday efiiciency is realized.

Disposable brushes have been used in the industrial cleansing area for brushing, scrubbing and general cleaning purposes. Replacement brushes in those unskilled worker areas reduce apparatus costs by reusing the handles when the brushes have worn out instead of replacing the whole device. In contrast, the present apparatus is designed not to reduce replacement cost, though it may achieve this-incidentally, but to promote greater efficiency in use of the time of skilled workers, and accordingly, to promote economy. Non-professional painters Will appreciate the convenience this novel apparatus offers.

The present invention is especially directed to providing a paint brush handle for holding disposable brushes at various angles with the plane of the handle. This feature provides an instrument of increased flexibility for painting irregular and remote surfaces and corners or for painting regular surfaces from irregular and/ or remote positions. Thus, this invention provides an efiicacious tool which is both simple and practical in construction, and strong and reliable.

Summary In accordance with the present invention, a paint brush is provided which comprises a handle having a fixed jaw with a set of bristles integrated at one extremity, engaging a stop spaced from the lip of the fixed jaw. A pivoted jaw is adjustably secured to the fixed jaw so that the brush may be positioned at various angles to the handle.

More particularly, there is provided a holder for a set of disposable bristles wherein a handle has a fixed channel-shaped jaw at one end which assists in gripping the bristles. The fixed jaw is continuous with the handle, with window means spaced from the lip and with at least one tab projecting into the channel between the window and the lip. A pivoted channel-shaped jaw, extending transverse and within the channel of the fixed jaw, has an extension on one side flange which is received by handle.

3,362,038 Patented Jan. 9, 1968 the window with an opposed flange confronting the web of the fixed jaw channel in the region of the lip. Disposable bristles may then be secured between the jaws under the force of a fastening means located intermediate the window and the tab.

The drawings For a more complete understanding of the present invention and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a top view of an embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 illustrates a bottom view of the embodiment of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 illustrates a perspective View of the embodiment of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 illustrates an end on view from the brush end of the present invention;

FIGURE 5 shows a left-hand side view of the present invention, in which the disposable brush is held in the same plane as the handle; and

FIGURE 6 shows the View of FIGURE 5 in which the brush is held at an acute angle with the plane of the The preferred embodiments A paint brush embodying the present invention is indicated generally in FIGURE 1 by the reference numeral 10. An elongated flat planar handle 12 narrows sinuously from a blunt rounded end 14 having a hole 16 therein to widen and deep-en into a U-shaped channel forming a fixed jaw 18 terminating in a lip. At points spaced from the lip of the jaw 18, two windows or slits 20 and 22 are formed on opposite sides of a center line. A thumbscrew 24 is located forward of slits 20 and 22 and on the center line. As best seen in FIGURE 3, two tabs 26 and 28 project from the roof of the jaw 18 into the channel formed by the roof and side members of the U-shaped aw.

Referring to FIGURE 2, a second jaw of channel shape 30 is pivoted from jaw 18. As best seen in FIGURES 3, 5, and 6, two fingers 32 and 34 project from an upstanding right angle flange 36 which extends from the web portion of jaw 30. Fingers 32 and 34 are received for pivotal engagement in slits 20 and 22. At the other end of jaw 30, a second flange 38 extends at right angles from jaws 30 to engage one surface of disposable brush 40. The flange 38 is positioned forward of tabs 26 and 28, that is, on the side of tabs 26 and 28 opposite the handle 12.

Thumbscrew 24 passes through an opening at the base of jaws 30, intermediate fingers 32 and 34, and receives thumbnut 42 to fasten jaw 30 to jaw 18. Loosening the thumbnut 42 slackens the jaw 30 and opens the mouth. Tightening the thumbnut 42 closes the jaw 30 to cause the flange 38 to exert force against the brush inserted into the mouth.

Brush 40 has an integrated end 44. The bristles are integrated by methods well known to the art, as by gluing. End 44 is clamped in the mouth of the paint brush 10 between the jaw 18 and jaw 30 under the force of thumbnut 42 tightened onto thumbscrew 24.

In one mode of operation, replaceable brush 40 is inserted into the mouth after the thumbnut 42 is loosened to permit the mouth to swing open. The integrated base 44 of brush 40 is inserted therein. Assuming that it is desired to have the brush disposed in the same plane as the handle, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, the brush 40 is inserted into the mouth until it engages projecting tabs 26 and 28. Then the thumbscrew 24, 42 is tightened to close the month by pivotal movement of jaw 30 to cause flange 38 to engage the integrated part 44 of brush 40 and force it firmly against the jaw 18. The tabs 26 and 28 serve as stops to limit movement of the brush 40 into the outh and to prevent any side-to-side or pivotal displacement of the brush. Thus, the disposable brush is firmly engaged and ready for use with the brush bristles extending parallel to the plane of the handle.

To clamp the brush 40 at an angle with respect to the plane of the handle 12, the mouth of the handle is opened to a greater width by loosening the thumbnut 42. As shown in FIGURE 6, the integrated base 44 of brush 40 is positioned with one side thereof supported on the ends of the projecting tabs 26 and 28. Then the mouth of the paint brush is closed by tightening the thumbnut 42. As the flange 38 of jaw 30 approaches the non-integrated section of brush 40 ahead of the integrated base 44, it will force the bristles into contact with the edge of the jaw 18. The angle between the bristles and handle 12 is determined by the height and location of tabs 26, 28, and by the extent to which thumbnut 42 is tightened.

After use, when it is desired to dispose of the brush 40, the thumbnut 42 is loosened to open the mouth of the handle 12 and the brush 40 will drop free therefrom.

The paint brush handle may be fabricated of any convenient material, such as metal, wood, or high impact plastic, but metal is preferred. The handle may be ridged with a rimmed edge for strength and/ or comfort to the user holding it.

Having described the invention in connection with certain specific embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that further modifications may now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A paint brush comprising:

(a) a set of bristles integrated at one end,

(b) a handle having clamping structure which grips the bristles at said one end to hold them at predetermined angles to the handle, said clamping structure including,

(c) a fixed channel-shaped jaw on said handle terminating at a lip and having therein at least one window spaced from said lips and at least one tab projecting from said jaw into the channel between said window and said lip,

(d) a pivotal jaw of channel shape having a web and two side flanges extending transverse to the channel of said fixed jaw and of width generally corresponding to the distance between said window and said lip with an extension from a first of said flanges pivotally set in said window and the second flange being shorter than the first of said flanges to engage one side of said bristles in the region of said lip, and

(e) adjustable fastening means interconnecting said jaws at a point between said window and said tab.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said fixed jaw has two windows and two tabs.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein a thumbscrew passes through said jaws at a point between said window and said tab.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 206,996 2/1967 Blount D9-2 155,243 9/1874 Landes 15-144 684,592 10/1901 Trost 15153 766,169 8/ 1904 Christiansen 15146 1,499,563 7/1924 Tyler 15--150 2,395,245 2/1946 Booharin 15-144 2,670,250 2/ 1954 Greene 15-146 XR CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

P. FELDMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

